Blackbird
by Neverland-Gleek-Lost-In-Oz
Summary: Kurt is a senior in High School, just trying to take care of his sister while he counts down the minutes of his dad's life. Blaine is a famous singer with a bad boy reputation and a witch for a manager. When they're both thrown into a chance meeting, however, their lives may change forever.
1. Only For A Moment

Chapter 1: Only For A Moment

"Kurt! Kurt, wake up! Kurt, you have to wake up _now!" _

Kurt groaned and rolled over, pulling his pillow over his head. "It's four in the morning, Hailie," he grumbled in exasperation. "What do you want?"

"I got the tickets! I won the tickets and now I need you to take me to the concert!" Hailie, Kurt's sister, squealed excitedly.

"Why are thirteen-year-old girls so _loud_?" he muttered into his pillow, hoping she didn't hear. He rubbed his eyes as he sat up. "You got the tickets?"

"Yeah," she nodded eagerly. "And you _promised _you'd take me if I won the tickets!" she reminded him, drawling out the word 'promise.'

"I did, huh?" he sighed. Then he saw the hopeful look on her face and he just couldn't say no. He smiled softly and urged her to hug him. "Alright. Alright, you win. C'mere, you," he said playfully as he started tickling her, almost taking a kick to the gut.

Hailie giggled and yelped and tried to get away, attempting and failing to tickle her older brother. "Truce!" she squeaked when she managed to catch her breath. "I surrender!" she said with a loud laugh.

Kurt chuckled and pulled her into his lap, hugging her tightly. He stopped tickling her and kissed her cheek. "Okay. Truce. Just be quiet so you don't wake up mom and dad."

Hailie nodded, squeezing his torso in a tight hug. "So you're taking me to the concert this weekend?"

Kurt smiled. "Of course, Hails. I still don't understand why you like this guy, but I know it's important to you. So I'm taking you to the concert."

"Kurt, you're the best!" she exclaimed with a loud and dramatic kiss to his cheek. He smiled and shoved her gently and playfully off of his lap.

"Alright, crazy. Get to bed. It's too early to be awake and you have school in a few hours. Love you."

She smiled and said 'love you, too' before tip-toeing back to her room. Kurt sighed as he sunk back down into his mattress and drifted off to sleep.

He woke up two hours later and lazily climbed out of bed to get ready for school. By seven o'clock, he was downstairs and making breakfast for the family.

"Hails, breakfast's ready! Mom, I'll be up in a minute with yours and dad's!" he called into the quiet house. There was no answer and he frowned, worried. Scooping the scrambled eggs, turkey bacon, and veggie omelets onto two plates, he dashed up the stairs and towards his parents' bedroom.

When he walked through the door, he saw his mother and his sister crowded around the king size bed and he set the plates on the dresser before rushing to his father's side. Burt Hummel was almost as pale as his son at this point and he was squeezing his wife's hand in reassurance.

"What happened?" Kurt asked; his heart was racing. "Is your heart okay? Are you breathing alright?" he fussed.

"I'm fine, son," Burt said, his usually gruff voice sounding strained. He cleared his throat and reached out for Kurt to hold his hand. Kurt did just that. "Just a coughing fit that your mother is fussing over."

"You always thought it was just a coughing fit when your chest started hurting," Elizabeth protested sternly, squeezing his hand. "I just wanted to make sure."

Burt smiled at her. "I'm fine. Trust me. I know what a heart attack feels like now and this wasn't one." He turned to Kurt, who was still shaking just a bit as he looked at Burt worriedly. "I promise I'm fine, okay?" Kurt nodded, seeming to come out of a daze as he leaned forward and wrapped his ill father in a gentle hug.

"I love you, dad," he murmured as Burt wrapped one arm around his thin waist.

"I love you, too, Kurt," Burt said with a smile.

"I made breakfast," Kurt said, pulling back and wiping his eyes. He smiled at his father, the tension releasing from his shoulders when he saw that his father really was okay. He took the two plates from the dresser and handed them to his parents.

"Actually," Burt started, "I think I want to eat at the table. It's not up for discussion," he added firmly when he saw Kurt about to protest. "I'm eating with my family and you're not changing my mind. I'm not a glass doll. I'm not going to break." Kurt smiled, tight-lipped, and reluctantly brought the two plates back downstairs as his mother helped Burt down to the dining table. "How's school been going?" he asked his kids when they were all seated and picking at their food.

Kurt and Hailie looked up at their father and both shrugged as if they were in sync. Burt chuckled quietly at the action. They were so much alike it was scary. "School's awesome," Hailie said enthusiastically. "I passed my math quiz and my choir teacher said I'm improving a lot. She even said I should consider private lessons because I've got potential, apparently."

"That's great, kiddo," Burt said with a grin. "I'm proud of you. And we'll find a way to pay for the lessons if you want them."

Hailie smiled. "I was… actually thinking I'd be more interested in piano lessons. I keep hearing mom play," she said with a smile towards Elizabeth. "I figured she could teach me now that I'm a little older and I know how to read music. Plus then it wouldn't cost anything," she added.

"I think it's a great idea," Elizabeth said with a smile and a shrug. "I'd love to teach you. As long as you get your homework done before lessons," she added.

Hailie nodded eagerly and thanked her mother before turning to Kurt, who wasn't paying much attention. She sighed and watched as he picked at his food half-heartedly.

Just as the two siblings walked out the front door and towards Kurt's car, Hailie started talking. "Dad's gonna be fine, Kurt. He's getting better; not worse."

Kurt shook his head and climbed into the driver's seat as she climbed into the passenger's seat. He knew that his dad wasn't getting better. He wasn't stupid. He heard his parents talking at night when Hailie was sleeping and they thought Kurt was as well.

_"I'm gonna let them enjoy the time I have left. I know it isn't long but I want them to know that I love them and I always will."_

_Elizabeth would always respond with a warm hug and a tearful kiss. She knew as well as anyone that it was only a matter of time before another heart attack took Burt from their lives forever. "I love you," Kurt heard her whisper into the night. _

Kurt always pretended that he didn't hear anything, but he knew that he only had a limited amount of time with his father. Hailie had the blessing of ignorance and she was perfectly content to just spend time with Burt and not have to worry. She didn't have to be constantly afraid of losing him.

"I know," Kurt answered his sister anyway, forcing a smile as he pulled out of the driveway and drove towards his sister's school. He shook his head to clear any thought of losing his dad, because it was going to be a long day at school already and he didn't want to make it worse.

After dropping Hailie off at the Junior High, he made his way to McKinley High School.

_Welcome to paradise, _he thought sarcastically as he walked through the double doors of the school.

* * *

"Blaine, wake up!" a stern voice snapped, throwing a pillow at his head when he threw it in her direction.

"Go away, Meagan," Blaine grumbled into his pillow. "The show isn't for six hours. I don't need to get up yet."

"Oh, yes you do!" she insisted, narrowing her eyes. "I'm your manager and if you aren't up and ready to perform in one hour, then I'm cancelling the show."

Blaine looked up in shock, his curly hair a mess. "You can't cancel the—"

"I can and I will," she said, challenging him to go against her. He glowered and threw the pillow at her again before getting out of bed. She smiled too sweetly and left the room for him to change.

He wrinkled his nose in disgust at the outfit laid out for him. He hated the 'bad boy' persona that he had to keep up, but he didn't dare go against it. Not when his job was threatened if he didn't sing and perform exactly how _they _wanted him to.

He was ready in an hour just as instructed and he made his way downstairs to the kitchen of his house that could almost be called a mansion; a too big, too empty, and most definitely unnecessary mansion.

"Ah, Monsieur Anderson," the maid, Marcie, greeted with a smile as he came into the kitchen. "Bonjour."

"Marcie," Blaine greeted with a smile. "Voulez-vous un peu d'aide preparer le petit dejeuner?" he asked, gesturing to the food that she was preparing. He hated that his parents gave her so much work to do, so he tried to help out in any way possible. Asking to help with breakfast wasn't unusual for him. (French translation: "Would you like some help making breakfast?")

"Oui!" Marcie exclaimed happily. "Merci, garçon doux," she said. (FT: "Yes. Thank you, sweet boy.")

"You know," Blaine smiled, standing beside her as he helped at the stove. "My parents aren't home today so you don't have to pretend that you don't speak English just to avoid talking to them."

Marcie giggled and bumped her hip against Blaine's. "Thanks for the tip. I'm just helping you practice," she added with a wink. Blaine smiled at her. Marcie was twenty-two years old and taking online college classes when she wasn't busy at the Anderson residence. Blaine always tried to cover for her when she had to do homework and his parents asked her to do something. He found that he liked her, and she was one of the only friends he had who knew who he was. _Really _knew. Not that he had many friends, though. He was homeschooled.

"I don't need practice," Blaine scoffed playfully, feigning offense. He held a hand to his chest dramatically and started singing quietly in French. He trailed off after a few bars, grinning. "I'm _fluent_."

"Yeah, I know, Hot Shot," she laughed. "Why are you ready so early? The show isn't for six hours, right?"

"Well, I did sleep till noon," Blaine shrugged. "Sound check; makeup; changing my outfit even though they already told me to wear this one—the usual. They want me there early, I guess. It just sucks not being able to play my own music," he sighed.

"You will someday, sweetheart," she said sympathetically, rubbing his shoulder with one hand and squeezing it lightly. She smiled encouragingly. "If it helps anything, I love your music. It's always so nice when you play the piano or your guitar and just start singing your songs."

Blaine smiled bashfully and shrugged humbly. "You give me too much credit, Marc," he said. She just shook her head and shooed him away to the table as she served his food. He thanked her and started eating. When he finished, he insisted on doing the dishes and shooed her away to do homework.

Then he started singing one of _his _songs. Not the songs that he played on stage, the ones that helped keep up his image. But the ones that he wrote; the ones that showed who he was and expressed his heart.

He sang quietly, a soft smile gracing his lips as he scrubbed the few dishes in the sink.

_You look right through my eyes_

_I see right into yours_

_You think you know me_

_But you can't see through my disguise_

_That you made for me_

He couldn't help but feel a hint of resentment towards his parents. The minute they found out he could sing, they started hunting for a record label that would sign him. They took the one that offered the largest check. They didn't take the time to ask Blaine what he wanted or to get to know any of the people at the record label. For example, the person hired to be Blaine's manager was a total witch, or something that rhymed with that.

And Blaine had to admit that he loved the thrill of being on stage and performing for people who actually wanted to hear him. But he still hated the fact that he was forced to be someone he wasn't. No amount of fame or fortune would change that.

_No, you've forgotten who I really am_

_But I won't do the same_

_'Cause you took away my pride_

_But you can't take my name_

After finishing up the dishes, Blaine let Meagan drag him towards the limo that would take him to the concert venue.

"Why do I have to be there so early?" Blaine complained, catching the attention of his manager who was reading a magazine. She looked up at him over her glasses and narrowed her eyes. Blaine wasn't intimidated by her anymore, though. "None of the fans are even allowed in the building until an hour before the concert starts. And we did sound check and rehearsals yesterday."

"Blaine," she said in an overly sweet, condescending tone. "Let the grown-ups handle this one, okay? You just go up there and sing your little heart out for some screaming little girls. I'll handle the rest."

Blaine rolled his eyes, turning so he could lie down across the seats in the back of the limo. He knew there was no arguing with Meagan. She was as stubborn as a mule.

After hours and hours of sound check, wardrobe adjustments, makeup applying, and listening to Meagan drone on and on about how everything had to be perfect, Blaine was exhausted. He was more than ready to go on stage and perform, if only to get away from his manager. Despite his annoyance, though, he owed his fans a good show.

Three songs into his set list, Blaine got an idea. He knew Meagan would kill him for it, but he had to do _something _to show his fans that he wasn't an arrogant jerk.

"How's everybody doing tonight?" he called into the microphone. He heard roaring cheers from the audience and screams of 'I love you!' He grinned brightly and waited for them to calm down a little before continuing. "Alright, who wants to have a chance to come up here and sing with me?" he asked, laughing happily when everybody started screaming excitedly. "Let's see," he mused, pacing back and forth across the stage. He saw Meagan glaring at him from offstage and he smirked, shaking his head. He looked out to the audience and saw a young girl with a boy who looked to be her older brother.

Blaine's breath caught in his breath when the boy made eye contact with him, but he quickly regained his cool. He pointed to the boy's little sister—he assumed it was his sister, anyway—where they were standing close to the front of the stage. "Me?" she squeaked, looking around before looking at Blaine. The singer smiled and nodded, urging her to come up on the stage.

"What's your name?" he asked once she was in the middle of the stage with him.

"H-Hailie," she answered, blinking rapidly as if she thought she was dreaming. Blaine smiled at her again and glanced briefly out to see that the boy from before was eyeing him suspiciously. Blaine gulped before returning his attention to the girl.

"Do you like to sing, Hailie?" he asked. She nodded quickly. "What's your favorite song?"

"Will it hurt your feelings if I say it isn't one of your songs?" she asked with a small smile. Blaine laughed and shook his head.

"Any song at all," he told her.

She thought about it for a moment before making a decision. "'All You Need Is Love,' by The Beatles," she answered and Blaine's face lit up in pleasant surprise.

"Excellent choice," he complimented. "Why don't you start? I'll back you up." She beamed at him and cleared her throat before beginning nervously. He handed her a microphone and switched on the one running down the side of his face from a wire.

**_(Hailie)_**

_Love, love, love_

_Love, love, love_

_Love, love, love_

_Nothing you can do that can't be done_

_Nothing you can sing that can't be sung_

_Nothing you can say but you can learn how to play the game_

_It's easy_

**_(Blaine)_**

_Nothing you can make that can't be made_

_No one you can save that can't be saved_

_Nothing you can do but you can learn how to be you in time_

_It's easy_

**_(Hailie & Blaine)_**

_All you need is love_

_All you need is love_

_All you need is love, love_

_Love is all you need_

They finished the song together and the crowd erupted in cheers when they were done. Blaine looked at Hailie and smiled, satisfied by the fact that he'd made her smile so much. Then he looked out into the crowd, his eyes searching for the beautiful boy once again. He found him and he grinned, making eye contact. He grew nervous when he saw the stranger narrow his eyes, but relaxed when he saw a smile. He waved subtly and the boy seemed to laugh quietly before doing the same.

"Thank you," Hailie piped up, hugging him. He smiled and hugged her back shortly before he saw Meagan making an urgent gesture off to the side. He rolled his eyes and gently shooed Hailie off the stage, but not before giving her his hat. She put the fedora on and skipped happily back to her brother. He saw her hug the boy and he smiled.

"Thank you, everybody!" he finished after performing another song. "Have a good night!"

He jogged off the stage and back to where Meagan was waiting for him. "Blaine—"

"Don't want to hear it," he cut her off, putting a hand up and walking right past her. "I couldn't care less if I look like a _bad boy_," he emphasized, turning to her suddenly. She stared at him in surprise and anger. He continued, unfazed by the flames spurting out the sides of her head. "I'll do whatever photo shoots or interviews you want and keep up the stupid image, but it's my music and I'm going to do it how I want." With an air of finality, he stormed off, leaving Meagan speechless and fuming.

* * *

"Blaine! Blaine! Over here!" Blaine squinted as flashing cameras were shoved in his face on the way out of the concert. He ignored the cameras but signed as many autographs as he could manage. When he saw his hat that he'd been wearing earlier, he frowned in confusion before looking up to see who was holding it out. It was the boy from earlier, Hailie's brother.

"My sister wanted to get this signed by you," the boy explained, holding it out. Blaine grinned and signed the hat before looking up to meet the stranger's eyes.

"Thanks for coming to the concert," Blaine said lamely, earning a small laugh from the other boy.

"Yeah," he said. "Bye, Blaine," he added, turning to walk away.

But Blaine's impulsivity had other plans. "Wait!" he yelped, reaching out to grasp the boy's hand. He ignored the way Meagan was glaring at him and gesturing for him to hurry, and he decided to pay more attention to the softness of the boy's hand. "Call me," he whispered in the boy's ear as he wrote his cell phone number on his pale hand. He looked at Blaine in surprise before he was dragged off by his sister and Blaine was dragged off by Meagan.

"What on earth are you doing?" she hissed in his ear as he was ushered into the limo. Blaine rolled his eyes and settled himself into one of the plush seats.

"I was signing autographs," he stated dumbly, shrugging. Meagan scoffed and sat down across from him. The limo started driving away and she started rambling, but Blaine wasn't listening. Something about how he should 'be more professional,' or how he 'doesn't have time to sign autographs.'

He didn't care what she said. At the moment, all he could think of was the beautiful boy that he'd just given his number to. He knew logically it was probably the dumbest thing he'd ever done, giving his number to a stranger, but he didn't care what his brain said, either.

That night, he walked into his room with a tired sigh, kicking off his shoes and shedding his jacket and skin-tight jeans. He pulled on some sweat pants and a clean t-shirt before climbing into bed and pulling out his phone.

He wasn't sure what led him to believe that his new friend would call him, but he couldn't help feeling hopeful.

At a quarter to eleven, though, he got a call. He sat up and was immediately wide awake despite being half asleep only seconds before. "Hello?" he said into the receiver, trying not to sound too eager or desperate.

"Blaine?" a soothing and familiar voice answered.

"Yeah, it's me," Blaine said with a bright smile, folding his legs like a pretzel as he sat in the center of his rumpled bed. "You thought I gave you a fake number, didn't you?" he asked in a resigned tone.

"I suspected it," was the reply.

"What's your name, by the way?" he asked curiously. "If you don't mind me asking," he added quickly, blushing.

"Kurt," the boy laughed. "My name is Kurt. You know, you're lucky I didn't let my sister know that you gave me your number. She would have freaked and probably never stopped calling you. She's pretty much your biggest fan."

"I'm flattered," Blaine smiled. "It was really nice meeting you tonight, even if it was only briefly."

"On that note," Kurt said, and Blaine could almost _hear _the way his eyes narrowed suspiciously. "Why _did _you give me your number, anyway? You barely saw me for two minutes."

_Uh oh, _Blaine thought with a gulp.

* * *

**A/N: Cliffhanger~ Let's see if Blaine can explain why he gave a complete stranger his number. **

**I hope you all enjoyed this. It's another idea that I came up with and I really like it. **

**Leave me a review and let me know if I should continue it :)**


	2. That's What Dreams Are Made Of

Chapter 2: That's What Dreams Are Made Of

"I just…" Blaine trailed off, swallowing hard. _Ugh, why can't I think? _He was always so smooth with words; in interviews, on stage, etc. He shouldn't be getting so nervous because of a guy he'd met just a few hours ago. "I guess I just couldn't stop thinking about you after I saw you in the audience."

"And why is that?" Kurt asked.

"Because you're beautiful," Blaine answered sheepishly. Then his eyes widened and he paled, nearly dropping his phone. No one besides his parents, Marcie, and his manager actually knew that he was gay. None of his fans knew, because he was told to keep it a secret.

He just hoped he hadn't ruined everything. _Oh no. He's probably not even gay and I'm just creepy and he's going to hang up on me now—_

"I-I-I… You think I'm beautiful?" Kurt asked quietly, his voice rising adorably. _Adorably? Yes, Kurt is definitely adorable, _Blaine thought to himself, grinning.

"I do," he confirmed, his concerns forgotten because Kurt's voice was so angelic and soothing and… well, distracting. "You surely caught my eye. As a matter of fact, and don't tell Hailie this," he paused shortly, chuckling, "I actually chose her to come up on stage because she was next to you and I kind of just assumed you were her brother. I figured I could get a good word in or something," he added flirtatiously.

"Blaine, I…" He paused, hiccupping nervously. Blaine laughed lightly. That was adorable. "I don't know what to say," he said.

"I have an idea," Blaine said thoughtfully. "How about you say that you'll have coffee with me tomorrow?" he suggested, grinning brightly. _Screw my stupid image_, he thought bitterly, thinking of his parents and his manager.

"You know what," Kurt said cheerily, "I think that's a great idea. Do you know where the Lima Bean is?"

"It's my favorite when I come home to Ohio after tours," Blaine replied, grinning even more; so much that it hurt his cheeks.

"Well, Blaine," he chuckled, "I guess I'll see you tomorrow. Meet me at eleven."

"I'll be there." The line clicked and Blaine pulled the phone away from his ear, feeling his heart leap giddily in a way it hadn't in years. He hadn't been to a regular High School since he was fifteen, and he'd been homeschooled ever since, so he never really had much of a chance to get to know someone enough to have a crush. _Is this a crush? _Well, it certainly felt like one, he decided. No one else had ever been able to give him butterflies over the phone before.

He sighed dreamily, letting his phone fall from his hand and onto the mattress. Then he sunk into his pillows himself, smiling as he closed his eyes.

That night, he dreamed of Kurt's smile.

* * *

"Kurt, where are you going?"

Kurt looked behind him in shock, seeing his little sister. He hadn't expected anyone to be awake so early on a Sunday morning. It was seven o'clock.

"Oh," he offered a fake smile. "Morning, Hails," he nodded. She eyed him suspiciously. "I'm just going out for some coffee and mall time with the girls. I'll be back in a few hours."

"Okay," she nodded, satisfied. "I'll call you if anything happens." Kurt nodded and swallowed hard. He knew what that meant. While Hailie didn't know all the details—like the fact that her father was on the verge of dying—she knew as well as any of them that his heart could start to give out at any moment.

"Thank you," he said, stepping forward and wrapping his sister up in a tight hug, bending down to her height. "I love you, Hails. Don't ever forget that."

"Love you, too, big brother," she smiled, hugging him back. "Go have fun with Mercedes and Tina and Rachel and whoever else is going. I'll make sure dad eats what he's supposed to if mom doesn't wake up early."

"You're the best," Kurt said softly as he ruffled her hair, smiling. "Get back to bed. It's a weekend, silly." Hailie rolled her eyes and went to the living room, flopping down on the couch and turning the TV on. "Love you," Kurt laughed softly as he walked out the door. He looked up at the sky and smiled, stuffing his car keys in his pockets. It was a nice day.

He walked the short distance to the mall and met up with Mercedes. He'd texted her late the night before after hanging up with Blaine.

_Fashion emergency. I need clothes for a date. Meet me at the mall tomorrow at 8. –Kurt _

She'd texted back in the affirmative and then Kurt had fallen asleep, completely baffled by the fact that Blaine had asked him out. Of course, he was a little cautious about it because until the night of the concert, he had always thought the guy was an arrogant jerk. But the Blaine Anderson that he'd met briefly and spoken to on the phone was definitely not a jerk from what he could tell. Besides, it had been a _really _long time since he'd been on a date.

"Who's the boy?" Mercedes asked with a raised eyebrow after they hugged at the mall entrance. "Judging from the dazed look in your eyes, he's cute?"

"He's not just cute," Kurt corrected, grinning and hiding his blush. "He's sexy, 'Cedes."

"Ah, so you need a new outfit because your date is sexy," she smirked.

"Don't judge me," he said in mock indignation, hooking their elbows together and sticking his nose up as they walked. Mercedes laughed and Kurt joined in, pulling the slightly shorter girl towards his favorite clothing outlets.

His eyes widened when he saw a sale at his favorite store. Mercedes smiled in amusement as he tugged her along.

"Mercedes, I need you to be completely honest and tell me if these jeans work," Kurt said seriously from behind the dressing room door twenty minutes later.

"You said that about the last six pairs," she laughed. "Trust me, you look great."

"But you always say I look great, so how do I know you aren't lying?" he asked uncertainly. "I mean, I know I'm fabulous but I don't exactly know how to be… hot," he said, glad that Mercedes couldn't see his blush.

"Just get out here and let me see the jeans," she said. Kurt sighed and stepped out of the dressing rooms, twirling around to model the skintight pair of jeans. Mercedes looked him over and nodded her approval. "I think you're ready," she smiled. "Those look like they're painted on."

Kurt grinned and bounced on the heels of his feet, clapping his hands together excitedly. Then he went into the changing rooms again to change back into his own outfit and brought the jeans to the check out desk. When he saw the original price, he was beyond relieved that they were having a half off sale on all pairs of jeans that day. He practically skipped over to Mercedes and hooked their arms together once more. "Now to go see Blaine," he said, tugging her along with a bag in his hands. "Well, first we need to go to the bathroom so I can put these jeans on." His friend nodded and let him pull her around the mall again. She was only in this to see who this mystery date was.

When Kurt came out of the bathroom, sporting his new pair of jeans, he walked proudly towards the door with Mercedes. But they were intercepted by some guys from school. Kurt scowled at them.

"What do you want, Karofsky?" he asked.

"Who's the outfit for, homo?" Karofsky sneered, crossing his arms over his chest and smirking when his two friends laughed like idiots behind him.

"None of your business," Kurt countered. "Now if you'll excuse me," he huffed. He tried to push past them to get to the exit, but Karofsky pushed him back with a hand on his chest.

"Not so fast, Hummel," he shook his head. He shoved Kurt backwards again and just as Kurt was about to retaliate, Mercedes jumped in.

"Hey!" she sassed. "No one pushes him around like that. Especially not you," she spat. "Now move it before I call Sam and have _him _beat the crap out of you along with the rest of the guys from Glee." Karofsky glowered at her but she just looked at him, as if daring him to challenge her.

He threw his hands up in frustration. "Jeez, Jones!" he exclaimed before walking away, followed by his two goons from the hockey team.

"You didn't have to do that, Mercedes," Kurt said softly, already walking towards the girl's car. Mercedes jogged to keep up with his long strides.

"Yes, I did," she argued. "You were about to get yourself hurt."

"I don't need anyone to protect me, okay?" he snapped, turning to look at her. When he saw the look on her face, he backed away. "I-I'm sorry… I just need to go. Thanks for everything, 'Cedes. I'll see you at school tomorrow." He didn't give her a chance to respond before he walked away quickly towards the Lima Bean. He walked for at least a half hour and found an empty seat near the window in the shop. He looked at his phone and saw that it was only ten o'clock. He still had an hour before Blaine was supposed to meet him—_if _he was even going to show up.

With a sigh, Kurt leaned forward over the table, holding his face in his hands. He jumped when he felt someone tap him on the shoulder, and his eyes widened when he turned and saw who it was. "Blaine?"

Blaine smiled. "Today I'm incognito. Call me Devon," he whispered as he sat down in the chair across from Kurt. Kurt smiled for the first time since the encounter with Karofsky.

"Ah, so I see you came in disguise," he chuckled, making Blaine blush slightly.

"Yeah, I don't really like to be… recognized most of the time. Too many paparazzi and interviews and screaming fans. I mean, it's all a huge honor and great for the self-esteem and all, but it can be a little exhausting."

"I can only imagine," Kurt nodded. "So… why are you here an hour early? I'm here because I didn't really have anywhere else to go…"

"The truth?" he asked, biting his lip. Kurt chuckled and nodded. "Alright, this is embarrassing. I just… I guess I couldn't wait to see you."

Kurt looked at him in confusion. "You, the big superstar, couldn't wait to see me?" he asked in disbelief. Blaine nodded sheepishly. "Well, I feel special," Kurt joked.

"That's just it," Blaine explained. "You are special. I've never met anyone like you—in a good way!" he added quickly, blushing. "I just knew when I saw you that I had to get to know you somehow. And this is my chance and I'm totally making a fool of myself…"

"You're not," Kurt assured him. "You're actually… really sweet. I didn't expect that."

"Why not?" he asked, looking a little hurt although he kind of expected it.

"Well…" Kurt started. "To be honest, from what I knew about you—and I guess that wasn't a lot—I thought you were sort of a jerk. I was mostly basing that off of the type of music you do, though."

"That's not me," Blaine admitted. "I just have the world's worst manager. She hired people to write those stupid songs for me that make me look like the world's biggest idiot. I don't even know how they manage to get me fans," he laughed lightly. "To be honest, last night she totally chewed me out just for bringing your sister on stage. Because it wasn't part of the set list."

"She sounds like a real jerk," Kurt said honestly. "And you… well, I'm sorry I thought you were the one being a jerk."

"Apology accepted," Blaine shrugged. "I sort of get it all the time when teenage girls aren't cooing over my voice instead of the songs. If they actually paid attention to the songs, I would have no fans."

"They're not _that _bad—"

"They made you think I was awful, didn't they?" Blaine challenged with a light smile. "Anyway, I can't do much about it unless I want to lose my job."

"I bet there are plenty of people who'd be dying to sign you to their record label if you just quit."

Blaine shrugged again. "Doesn't matter, I guess. People can think what they want about me. I don't really care."

"Even if what they think of you isn't who you are?" Blaine sighed and shook his head. "Blaine, I know it might not mean much because we hardly know each other, but I think you need to just… screw it. You actually have a _really _good voice. And if you worked somewhere else, you could actually showcase that. A talent like yours needs to be appreciated."

Blaine looked at him in surprise. Besides Marcie, no one had ever really said that to him. He smiled slightly. "Maybe someday…" he nodded a little bit, and that at least made Kurt smile. Blaine found himself thinking that he wanted to see that smile every day. "So, enough about me," he changed the subject. "Tell me about yourself. For starters, what's your last name?" Kurt laughed and his eyes squinted up adorably, Blaine noticed.

"My name is Kurt Hummel. I'm seventeen years old. I go to McKinley High School here in Lima; senior year. And I have a sister who—"

Kurt's phone rang and he pulled it out. His sister had texted him.

_Hospital. Now. –Hailie _

Kurt paled visibly and his hands started shaking. He looked up at Blaine. "I-I have to go… I'm sorry," he said lamely.

"Wait," Blaine stood up, reaching out and grabbing Kurt's hand before the boy could run off. "Where are you going?"

"My dad's in the hospital," he said, his eyes wild and red like he was about to cry. "P-Please, I have to go…"

"Let me give you a ride," Blaine offered quickly. "I saw you didn't have a car when you came here…"

Kurt nodded quickly and Blaine led him out to his sports car. Kurt would have rolled his eyes at the fancy quality of it if he wasn't such a mess.

_On my way. Is he stable? Was it another heart attack? –Kurt _

_Heart attack. –Hailie _

Kurt nearly dropped his phone as Blaine drove quickly towards Lima Memorial Hospital. He brought his hand up to cover his mouth and he closed his eyes, suppressing a sob.

"How bad is it?" Blaine asked hesitantly.

"Heart attack," Kurt managed, his breath catching in his throat. "S-Second one. I can't lose him," he whimpered, not even bothering to care how pathetic he might have looked.

"We're here," Blaine murmured, and it wasn't two seconds before Kurt was dashing out of the car and towards the hospital.

"Where is he?" he asked once he'd thrown himself into his mother's arms. "Please tell me he's okay… that he's alive," he added in a whisper.

"He's alive, sweetie," Elizabeth assure her son, rubbing his back with one hand and stroking through his hair with the other. He seemed so small, even at seventeen, when he was being cradled in her arms. "He's in a coma…" she whispered. "But he's alive. He's stable for now."

"Can I see him?" Kurt asked, sounding like a small child. Elizabeth nodded, gently hugging her son's shoulders as she led him towards Burt's room. When they got there, Kurt wasted no time taking the seat beside his father's bed. He took Burt's hand into both of his and just stared at him for a long couple of minutes. "Daddy," he whispered. He hadn't called him that in years. "Please wake up…"

Just then, his heart monitor stopped the steady rhythm of beeps and flat-lined. Kurt panicked, calling for help.

"No," he cried. "No, no, no, no, no, no…"

"Kurt," he heard his mother's gentle voice and a hand on his shoulder. Suddenly he was in his bed, at home. He opened his eyes and looked at his mother, immediately burying his face in her shoulder when she pulled him into her arms. "Hush, baby boy," she murmured soothingly. "It's alright. It was just a dream. You're alright…" She crawled onto the bed and sat up against the headboard, letting her son curl up with his head on her lap. She stroked through his messy hair and started to sing.

_Baby mine, don't you cry…_

_Baby mine, dry your eyes…_

_Rest your head close to my heart…_

_Never to part…_

_Baby of mine…_

Kurt fell sound asleep within minutes, sniffling occasionally in his sleep.

The whole day had been a dream, with everything that could have gone wrong going wrong. He hadn't gone to the mall, though he still planned on meeting up with Mercedes in a few hours—it was only five in the morning at the moment. He hadn't gone to the Lima Bean, though he also planned on meeting up with Blaine for their date. And, most importantly, his father hadn't had a heart attack. That was just his fears coming to life in a dream.

He just hoped that his dream didn't become a reality—at least, not all of it.

* * *

**A/N: I'm evil, I know. But I could have been a lot more evil and killed off Burt in the second chapter of the story. Anyway, the ****_real _****Klaine date will be in the next chapter, and it won't be depressing. It'll be fluffy and cute and what not. Please don't be mad at me yet! I'm just getting started—and I actually didn't even intend for this chapter to happen the way it did, but it just… did. **

**Review please :)**

**Love you, my lovelies. **


	3. Getaway

Chapter 3: Getaway

Kurt's morning went by very similarly to the way it had in his dream, which scared him a bit. However, he didn't run into Karofsky at the mall. And Hailie hadn't woken up to stop him before he left the house.

He bought his new pair of jeans and let Mercedes drive him to the Lima Bean. He arrived a little less than twenty minutes before eleven. He hoped he wasn't too early.

"Kurt," a cheerful voice greeted him before sitting down in the seat across from him. Kurt already had his coffee and he was in the middle of sipping it when he looked up and saw Blaine, coffee in hand as well.

"Hi," Kurt grinned, sitting up straighter and making eye contact with Blaine. The singer wasn't in any type of disguise other than a pair of sunglasses and a beanie hat, so that was a relief after the dream he'd had. So far, nothing had happened exactly like in his dream. And to add to his relief, Blaine had actually arrived ten minutes late instead of an hour early. "For a minute I was worried you were going to stand me up on our first date," he said with a small smile and a raised eyebrow. Blaine chuckled, shaking his head.

"I wouldn't even think of it. I just got caught up having to sit through another lecture from my manager," he said in exasperation. "She caught me before I could leave the house, but I managed to slip away when she got distracted by a phone call."

"I'm glad she did," Kurt flirted. "So… I'm not complaining or anything, but do you usually ask complete strangers out on dates?"

"Not typically," Blaine admitted, blushing. He smiled sheepishly. "I just… When I saw you, I knew I had to meet you," he said. It was Kurt's turn to blush. "That's actually kind of why I was being lectured. No one's supposed to know I'm gay," he added in a hushed whisper.

Kurt looked at him in confusion. "So why did you ask me out, then?"

"Because the thought of you… made me want to stop caring what everyone else thought of me," he admitted, looking at Kurt with big, sincere eyes. He'd pulled his sunglasses down a bit so he could look into Kurt's eyes.

"S-Since we're being honest," Kurt started, clearing his throat, "I have to admit something. I sort of thought you were a total jerk until last night."

Blaine smiled sadly. "I get that a lot. In fact, that's sort of the intention, according to my manager. I'm supposed to appear tough and superior and… basically everything I'm not. I've never been a bad boy," he said honestly.

"I kind of figured that out after less than ten minutes talking to you last night," Kurt smiled. "You're actually… really sweet. I like that."

"I just want to clarify something," Blaine blurted out. "Otherwise I really am going to feel like the biggest jerk alive. You're gay… right? I just don't want to assume or offend you—"

"Yes, I'm gay," Kurt said with an amused smile. "And most people assume, anyway, so it wouldn't be the first time. I think you're the first person who's ever bothered to ask before treating me like crap."

Blaine frowned. "Who treats you like crap?"

"Just some guys from school," Kurt said, waving him off. Blaine opened his mouth to protest but Kurt continued. "Not the point. The point is… I think you're a great guy, and you're one of the few guys I've met who's been nice to me. And if you'd like to try, I'd be more than willing to get to know you better. Maybe… see where that goes?" he asked hopefully, biting his lip.

"I would definitely like that, Kurt—"

Blaine's bright and hopeful grin fell when he heard a scream of "It's Blaine Anderson!"

"We have to go," he told Kurt, jumping up and grabbing Kurt's hand before tugging him towards his car.

"What—"

"Just trust me," he pleaded as they both climbed in the front of the car. Blaine sighed in exasperation as his car was crowded with paparazzi suddenly—_how on earth did they always get there so quickly? _He cursed under his breath and tried to roll up the windows, but one of the interviewers jammed a microphone in before he could get his closed.

"Blaine, who's your friend?"

"Can I have your autograph?"

"How does it feel to be back in Lima again?"

They smothered him with questions and Blaine felt like he was suffocating, looking around at all the people who were blocking his exit to drive away. "I-I don't…"

Kurt, seeing his distress, leaned over and murmured a quick plan in his ear. "I'll get out and distract them. You drive to the mall and I'll tell them you said you'd be heading to the hotel down the street. I'll meet you behind the mall in twenty minutes." Blaine nodded quickly and watched Kurt climb out of the car. He was immediately crowded by the cameras and Blaine made his quick getaway as Kurt dodged questions. "He told me he was heading to the hotel by Breadstix. I think he's staying there while he's in Ohio," Kurt lied smoothly, and the crowd rushed to their cars before driving in the direction he'd told them.

Kurt smiled in satisfaction and fixed his hair that had been messed up by the crowd. Then he texted Mercedes.

_Can I get a ride to the mall? Emergency getaway. –Kurt _

_Is he that bad? –Mercedes _

_No. I'll explain it on the way. Just hurry. I'm still at the Lima Bean. –Kurt _

_On my way. –Mercedes _

Kurt sighed and stood with his back up against the wall, waiting for his friend to arrive. He sent a quick text to Blaine to let him know they'd fallen for it.

When Mercedes arrived, Kurt quickly climbed in her car and she looked at him expectantly before driving off. "So, what happened?"

"Well," Kurt started, sighing. "My date? His name is Blaine Anderson. You've heard of him, right?"

"Yeah, I've heard of him," Mercedes said with wide eyes, glancing at him as she drove. "How did you—"

"I took Hailie to his concert last night and he gave me his number and then he asked me out," Kurt explained, blushing slightly.

"Oh," she said dumbly. "Well, I'm happy for you. But why are you ditching? Is he the same jerk that he seems to be in interviews?"

"The exact opposite, actually," Kurt said. "But we were interrupted. The paparazzi recognized him in the coffee shop so I helped him get away. Now I'm meeting him at the mall."

"So… is he as cute in person as he is on the talk shows?" she asked teasingly. Kurt was a little surprised by how easily she was accepting the surreal situation.

"Like I told you earlier, he's sexy," Kurt corrected, smiling. "But he's also completely adorable when he gets flustered."

"Oooh," she cooed. "So now you're getting boys flustered. I told you puberty shined wonderfully on you."

Kurt blushed again. "Mercedes—"

"You'll have to tell me all about it tomorrow at lunch. Oh, and Tina will want to hear, too. I would say Rachel, too, but you know she has a bigger mouth than anyone in school."

Kurt laughed brightly, nodding. "She does. And I'll definitely tell you guys about it, but you have to promise to keep it quiet. No one knows he's gay."

"The secret is safe with me," she promised just as they pulled into the mall parking lot. "Do you want me to wait here or do you think you can get a ride with him?" she asked just before Kurt climbed out of the car.

"I'll just get a ride with him," he smiled. "Thanks, 'Cedes. I'll see you tomorrow."

"See you later," she waved before driving away.

_I'm in the mall parking lot. Where are you? –Kurt _

_I'm by the dumpsters. Hurry please. They stink. Like, a lot. –Blaine _

Kurt chuckled and walked quickly around to the back of the mall, wrinkling his nose at the smell that hit him immediately.

"Kurt!" Blaine said happily. He stood up straight from where he was leaning against the wall and went over to hug Kurt. "Thank you so much for getting me out of there."

Kurt, surprised, hugged back awkwardly. "Uh, Blaine? You smell like you just went dumpster diving."

"We both smell now because you're back here, so it doesn't matter," Blaine said with a laugh. He pulled away from the hug and grinned cheekily at Kurt. "So… how can I make it up to you? The date, I mean. We sort of got interrupted."

"Blaine, you really don't have to," Kurt smiled, shaking his head. "I would love a second date, but you don't need to make anything up to me. It's not your fault you're the only famous person in Lima," he added, trying for flirtatious. He wasn't quite sure if he succeeded.

"But I want our first date to be special," Blaine insisted. "Like, think about it. You never know if someday your kids are going to ask you how you met your husband. And you don't want to have some lame story to tell. It has to be epically romantic. That's why every first date should be amazing. You know… just in case," he added sheepishly, and he _totally _wasn't imagining having kids with Kurt. And he definitely was not imagining _marrying _Kurt, either.

Kurt didn't seem to hear the implications in Blaine's words, though. He just smiled. "Alright," he said cheerily. "So… when would you make it up to me, exactly?"

"We could always just continue it right now," Blaine suggested with an excited and bubbly smile. "The mall is the perfect place for romance," he joked. Kurt giggled and offered his hand to Blaine.

"I think the first thing we need to get while we're here is cologne. I smell like manure."

Blaine shook his head with a quiet laugh and grabbed Kurt's extended hand. They walked together towards the mall entrance and Blaine just had to hope that no one would recognize him.

Kurt just had to hope that a certain someone wasn't at the mall today. Running into Karofsky would only make the day further resemble his dream, and that wasn't something he wanted. Maybe he was being paranoid, but some part of him thought that if the day didn't happen like it did in the dream, Burt would be okay.

"How does lunch sound?" Blaine asked, squeezing Kurt's hand and walking with him towards the food court.

"Great," Kurt piped up. "I'm starving."

Blaine nodded in agreement and they walked up to a _Preztelmaker _restaurant, ordering their food before going to the _Orange Julius _right next to it. Blaine chose a table for them to sit at. They each enjoyed their fruity drinks and their salty, twisted breadsticks, stealing glances in between bites.

"So… what do you like to do, Kurt?" Blaine asked, trying to make small talk since he was finding himself struck speechless by Kurt's dazzling eyes.

"I perform," Kurt told him. "I sing and dance in my school's Glee Club. We won Nationals last year but then all the best performers graduated.

"I find it hard to believe you weren't one of the best singers," Blaine blurted without thinking. "I mean, your voice is already so… sweet. And that's just while talking. I'm sure your singing is lovely."

"Ah, flattery will get you nowhere, Mr. Anderson," Kurt smiled. "Especially because you haven't ever heard me sing."

"Can I hear you sing sometime?" Blaine asked hopefully. "You've got to be good if you're in Glee Club. They have auditions, right?" Kurt nodded and Blaine smiled. "Well, at least it's something we have in common. We both love to sing."

"Yeah," Kurt said, smiling. "And maybe you can hear me sing at Regionals this year. It's in a month."

"I'll be there," Blaine promised instantly. "I swear. I'll be here in Ohio for a couple months before I go on tour for the new album. Until then it's just local gigs and concerts. I actually prefer staying close to home, though, so it's nice."

"You'll really come to Regionals?" Kurt asked with wide eyes, almost choking on a sip of his drink.

"Of course," Blaine grinned. "As long as you'll come to Breadstix this Wednesday for a second date," he added teasingly.

"I think that sounds like a great idea," Kurt nodded eagerly, trying not to act like a flustered mess as he grinned.

"I agree. But for now…" Blaine grinned mischievously. "I think I know what we could do for our first date do-over."

"And what is that?" Kurt asked with a soft laugh, sipping the last bits of his drink before tossing the cup in the trash can.

"Do you trust me?"

"I guess, but what—"

"Just follow me," Blaine grinned. He stood and held his hand out to Kurt, who accepted it and started following him towards the exit. They reached Blaine's car and Kurt climbed into the passenger seat, waiting for Blaine to get in the other side.

"Where are we going, exactly?"

"To the best spot ever for a first date," Blaine said seriously.

"Do you know from experience?" Kurt asked, confused.

"Nope," Blaine laughed. "I just know it's the coolest place ever."

He wasn't sure why, but the thought of this being Blaine's first date made Kurt feel better. They were both experiencing this for the first time, and they were both a little awkward.

They drove for about a half hour, Blaine singing along loudly to his Katy Perry playlist and trying to get Kurt to join in. Kurt just laughed and shook his head, giggling when Blaine started acting out the lyrics to _California Girls. _

When they stopped, Kurt looked around and saw that they were at the abandoned movie theater. It was a tall building, fairly old. But it wasn't falling apart like some Ohio buildings since it had only recently gone out of business a few years before. "Why are we at an abandoned movie theater?" Kurt asked in confusion.

"Because," Blaine started, getting out of the car when Kurt did and taking the other boy's hand. "It's the roof that has the best seats in the house."

Kurt, thoroughly confused at this point, decided it was best to just follow Blaine's lead. He followed Blaine around to the back of the building to where a ladder ran up the side of the brick. Seeing the excited look on Blaine's face, Kurt followed him up the ladder until they were both on the roof.

Kurt looked around and he didn't see much. The roof looked like a chunk had been torn away on one side, so there was a smooth, slight slant that led down to the lower part of the roof. "I used to come here after shows to just… relax. Clear my head for a bit, you know? Sometimes I even wrote songs up here. It was kinda my safe place for a while. Oh, and check out the view," he added in excitement. He pointed out to where there was a perfect view of the nearby drive-in movie theater. "Sometimes I would set up camp there on the slant and just watch movies on the big screen over there. I was able to find the radio station that they use for that screen that you see from here, so I can hear what movie is playing even though I'm far away."

"When did you start coming up here?" Kurt asked curiously. He was watching Blaine as the singer looked around the old roof.

"My brother Cooper brought me here a few years ago before he moved to L.A.," he said. Then he turned to look at Kurt. "I, um… I was thinking. Do you want to, maybe… dance with me? I have music… And I promise it isn't Katy Perry," he added with a small laugh that Kurt repeated.

"I'd be honored, Blaine," Kurt said honestly, taking Blaine's outstretched hand. Blaine grinned and started a slow, instrumental song on his phone.

Kurt let Blaine pull him in close and they started to sway, perfectly in sync as if it were planned. After getting more comfortable, Kurt rested his head on Blaine's shoulder, smiling as Blaine hugged his waist and he hugged Blaine's shoulders. "I think this is the perfect first date," Kurt murmured. "And I think it'd make for a great story to tell someday."

Blaine grinned, rubbing up and down Kurt's back lightly. "Maybe some time we can come up here and watch a movie together. Sleeping under the stars is totally romantic, so I'm told." Kurt giggled and hugged Blaine closer, smiling softly.

"You know, you're pretty good at this romance thing," he said. "I like that. It shows that you care, I think. It's more than just the physical when it's romance, because romance is the cheesy stuff you see in love stories. Romance is like… true love. For… soul mates, you know?" He smiled, nuzzling into Blaine's shoulder. "Sorry if I'm not making any sense."

"You're making perfect sense. I completely agree. The romantic stuff is for when it's real; for when you truly care about someone."

"You care about me?" Kurt asked, a soft smile spreading across his face as he looked up at Blaine.

"I care about you more than I ever thought I could after one date," Blaine admitted, smiling as well.

Kurt blushed and buried his face in Blaine's warm shoulder again as they swayed. He never thought he could be so attached to someone just after the first date, but he couldn't help it. He could actually see himself falling in love with Blaine. Blaine was the type of boy who Kurt always thought of when he pictured his future. He was sweet, funny, romantic, and so much more than Kurt could have ever hoped for.

Yes, he could _definitely _see himself falling for Blaine.

* * *

**A/N: Yay for fluff! I'm actually really pleased with this chapter, so I hope you are, too. **

**Leave a review and let me know what you thought :)**

**Love you, my lovelies. **

**(Oh, lookie! I finally found a signing off catch phrase!) **


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